Just keep in mind that if you sign the release and hand it over early, the agent now has no reason to stick their head in the cockpit and trade you for the updated weather...what this really means is that they can shut the door without asking if you are ready. And they will. Ever have a last minute glitch and then have to call ops to get the agent, who has already sprinted to their next gate or the coffee machine, to come back...it is a goat rope! I would hope that the first Captains that get this directive, send it to the ALPA machine for clarification. That's what they are there for.

LP